


Warm and Real and Bright

by icarusmoon



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), Tangled (2010)
Genre: Cupcakes, Eugene's POV, F/M, Fluff, Flynn's POV, One Shot, catching romantic feelings with the help of baked goods
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-07
Updated: 2020-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:27:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23047774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icarusmoon/pseuds/icarusmoon
Summary: Rapunzel doesn’t notice his lovesick grin. She’s too busy exploring the world beyond the tower."Look over there!” she says, her eyes lighting up as she takes everything in. "There’s a bookshop! Have you ever seen so many books? I only have three in my tower! And there are so many people!"She laughs and makes her way down the cobblestone street before coming to a halt in front of a bakery. When Flynn catches up to her, she’s gazing longingly at the brightly-colored cupcakes in the window."Oh my gosh," she breathes. "Those look amazing.""It’s the best bakery in the whole kingdom," Flynn tells her. “Or so I hear."(Or: Flynn tries to ignore his feelings for Rapunzel, and Rapunzel learns about cupcakes.)
Relationships: Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider/Rapunzel
Comments: 16
Kudos: 113





	Warm and Real and Bright

**Author's Note:**

> Eugene and Rapunzel love cupcakes, so I took the liberty of writing about the cupcakes they share during the "Kingdom Dance" scene in Tangled.

Flynn Rider doesn’t fall in love. 

He smolders, seduces, and then he leaves. He doesn’t feel capable of much else, and quite frankly, he’s never _wanted_ anything else. 

But something about this girl from the tower makes him pause.

That, Flynn thinks, is a completely normal reaction, because Rapunzel is not like anyone he has ever met. It doesn’t mean he has feelings for her. She’s strange. Like, seventy-five feet of magical hair strange. Sings about her dreams in a pub full of ruffians strange. She had never even walked on grass until earlier that day. She talks to that frog like it’s another person. 

And he’s pretty sure she gave him a concussion. 

Minor injuries notwithstanding, there’s a kind of warmth that follows Rapunzel. She’s like sunlight. The sun can’t be hidden, no matter how hard you try. 

Maybe that’s why he told her his real name. Eugene Fitzherbert. It felt odd to say his name out loud after all these years; he hated being Eugene, and so he hadn’t been Eugene for a long, long time. Eugene was an orphan. A troublemaker. The other kids liked him—looked up to him, even—but the adults? Not so much. He was too loud, too rambunctious, too much. Eugene watched everyone he loved leave the orphanage. 

Flynnigan Rider didn’t have that problem. 

So that’s who Eugene became. 

For some reason, Rapunzel actually cares about Eugene Fitzherbert. She liked Eugene, she had said, much better than Flynn Rider. 

That had surprised him. “Well, you’d be the first,” he said, looking down at his magically healed hand. Not a scratch. He touched the smooth skin, trying to remember the last time someone noticed he had been hurt. “But thank you.” 

Rapunzel gives him pause because she sees what others don’t. She knows that no one deserves to be locked up.

As they head towards Corona’s town square, Flynn tells himself that’s all it is: she’s strange and she’s kind. He’s not about to use the smolder or anything. Even if he did, it wouldn’t work. (And that doesn’t bother him. Not at all.) 

When he sees Rapunzel with braided hair, his heartbeat speeds up a little. She spins around to admire the girls’ handiwork and gasps, marveling at the colorful flowers and her newfound freedom. He smiles, and Max waggles his eyebrows, as though he knows something Flynn doesn’t. 

Rapunzel doesn’t notice his lovesick grin. She’s too busy exploring the world beyond the tower. 

“Look over there!” she says, her eyes lighting up as she takes everything in. “There’s a bookshop! Have you ever seen so many books? I only have three in my tower! And there are so many _people!_ ” 

She laughs and makes her way down the cobblestone street before coming to a halt in front of a bakery. When Flynn catches up to her, she’s gazing longingly at the brightly-colored cupcakes in the window. 

“Oh my gosh,” she breathes. “Those look _amazing._ ”

“It’s the best bakery in the whole kingdom,” Flynn tells her. “Or so I hear.” 

“The best bakery? _Wow._ ” 

Flynn raises an eyebrow. “Do you want to get something?” 

Rapunzel turns away from the window and looks at Flynn with wide eyes. “Don’t we have to buy it? I don’t have any money.” 

He waves a hand dismissively. “Don’t worry. I got it.”

Rapunzel narrows her eyes. “You aren’t going to steal a cupcake, are you?”

“Of course not! That’s a total waste of my expertise!” 

“ _Eugene._ ” 

Eugene. He still isn’t used to hearing that name. For a moment, he wonders why he even bothered to tell Rapunzel his name. 

But he doesn’t hate being called Eugene. Not when it’s coming from her. 

“Seriously,” Flynn says, rolling his eyes. “I have money. I’ll spot you.” 

“Really? Oh my gosh, thankyouthankyou _thankyou!_ ” 

She bursts through the bakery door, almost slamming it in Flynn’s face as he follows her. He realizes that this is more than a sudden craving for sweets; she’s absolutely fascinated in that strange Rapunzel way. Cupcakes are great and all, but he doesn’t think they’re _that_ great. 

And then it hits him: Rapunzel never left that tower. She’s probably never had a cupcake before. 

He smiles as he watches Rapunzel inspect each dessert, as if she won’t get another chance to taste the best cupcakes in Corona. Flynn says hello to the baker and stands next to Rapunzel, trying not to distract her from her sugary reverie. 

“They all look so good!” she says cheerfully. “Which one are you getting?”

“Oh, I don’t—I don’t need anything,” Flynn says. 

Rapunzel looks scandalized.

“But they’re the best cupcakes in the entire kingdom!” she protests. “You said so yourself!” 

“Well—”

“Eugene! It’s my _birthday._ You have to get one. You can at least save it for later!”

Flynn sighs, as though he’s annoyed with all her birthday wishes. He isn’t, of course—her joy is the most beautiful thing in the world—but she’s immune to the smolder and he doesn’t know how to handle the sudden pounding of his heart.

“Alright, Blondie. I’ll get that one.”

He points to a vanilla cupcake with yellow frosting and a cherry on top. Rapunzel beams and chooses a chocolate cupcake topped with pink buttercream. She asks for a cherry, too, and Flynn hands the baker two silver coins before they head back to the square.

“This has been the best day,” Rapunzel gushes. “Thanks, Euguene.”

“Don’t mention it, Blondie. Let’s—” Flynn pauses. Out of the corner of his eye, he spots the royal guards.

“Eugene?”

“Uh...Remember all those people who don’t like me? Two of them are over there.” 

Of all days to be arrested, this would be the worst. Flynn scowls as he surveys their surroundings. The crowd will keep them hidden for a little while, but eventually, they’ll bump into each other. Returning to the bakery is out of the question; the guards will ask every shopkeeper if they’ve seen him. 

Just as the guards turn towards them, Flynn spots a small alcove in between two shops. Perfect. 

“C’mon, Blondie,” he whispers, nodding towards the small hideaway. “In here.” 

He grabs Rapunzel’s arm and leads her underneath the stone archway. She stifles her laughter as they squeeze inside, their backs to either side of the wall. The guards walk past, oblivious to their tiny sanctuary. After making sure the coast is clear, Flynn and Rapunzel grin triumphantly. They both raise their cupcakes like glasses, toasting one another on their grand escape. 

Despite Flynn’s hesitation, the cupcakes do look amazing, and he’s ready to take a bite when he notices that Rapunzel’s smile has disappeared. She’s staring at her cupcake, looking contemplative.

Flynn frowns. “Everything okay?” 

“I’ve...I’ve never had a cupcake before. I bake all the time, but I’ve only ever made pies. I don’t have the right kind of pan for cupcakes. Mother says she doesn’t need the extra sugar, so…” 

She trails off, and Flynn’s heart aches. 

He was right. 

Why does he hate that he was right?

“Thank you, Eugene,” Rapunzel says softly. 

She’s already thanked him, but this time feels different. She’s not just thanking him for the cupcake, and he doesn’t want to say “you’re welcome,” because he has things to thank her for, too. It’s like they’re sitting by the campfire again, telling each other all the secrets they’ve been afraid to share. He meets her gaze, and his heart does that stupid _thump-thump-thump_ ing again. 

“Happy birthday, Rapunzel.” 

Flynn Rider doesn’t fall in love.

But maybe Eugene Fitzherbert does.


End file.
